The Other Side of the Coin
by EbonyShroud
Summary: Ilia knew terror well, the fear for herself and of her loved ones. So when a new enemy strikes, resembling the one of her dear friends, she has to summon the courage to battle the nightmare before it takes what she holds dear.
1. The Nightmare

It was a sea of inky darkness; one that was tangible and untouchable at the same time. It was impossible to see, to touch, to hear, to hope. It was like a world where sight was lost, where change was swallowed by fear, and night made the light succumb to its dark seductive powers.

"Dad? Link? Hello?" Ilia called out through the darkness, her voice shaking with uncontrolled nervousness. A shuddering hand reached out and tried to feel for something, whether it be a warm comforting hand or a firm wall to guide her out of the darkness. She found nothing in the darkness, no object to grasp or hold on to or person to cling to.

"Is anyone out there? Anyone?" She hopelessly whispered, her own feeble voice echoing mockingly back at her. She looked around again, trying to find a sign in the blackness. Suddenly, a cold feeling rushed down her spine, setting her nerves to a startled pulse. She heard something, barely, like movement.

"Ha, ha. Joke's over, guys. This isn't funny" She said, turning around in hopes of finding out that it was a joke led by the village children. The children always liked playing tricks on her. She was met with the same unending gloomy darkness. A cold knot of terror settled in her stomach, gnawing at her insides. There was something there, something she had a bad feeling she didn't want to meet.

"Whoever you are, show yourself." She tried to say with confidence; her voice trembled with terror and was high. Then, she heard a laugh. It was like Link's laugh, but without the normal mirth and warmness always present. It was the laugh that a hunter would use under his breath as he aimed for an easy foe, and it came from behind her. She spun around, her pitch-black surroundings the same as before.

"Stay away from me," She stuttered in fright, taking slow steps away from whatever was lurking in the darkness. She tried to look around in fear, the darkness betrayed nothing. Then, she bumped into someone. She froze, too terrified to make a single sound. Something sharp was pressed to her stomach, piercing through the cloth and its sharp tip pressed into her skin. She heard the laugh again, right beside her ear, and the blade suddenly jerked into her stomach.

* * *

Ilia woke up with a sudden burst of terror, looking around for her the attacker from her dream. Once she finally realized she had merely dreamt of the attack, she pulled her knees to her chin and locked her arms around them. She shuddered, trying hard to forget the nightmare. The nightmare ignored her desperate attempts of forgetting and erupted to the fore of her thoughts in vivid detail, she buried her head in hopes of ridding herself of the nightmare. She had been warned by the Kakariko priest that because of her amnesia, she would have nightmares. The priest had been right, she had horrific nightmares. But, those had past on two weeks ago, the memory of being shot and the terror of being separated from all she cared for and loved. This was different, the nightmare was different.

"No, I won't let that horrible dream bother me," She said to herself, trying to calm down her frightened heart and tingling nerves. When she calmed down enough, she lay back down on her bed and pulled the blanket up from its crumpled position on the floor. She stared up at the wooden ceiling above her before she took another calming breath and closed her eyes.

"It was just a dream, just a dream. That's all that it is and all it will ever be, just a horrible dream," She whispered to herself before curling up into a tight ball underneath the covers. The warmth of the blanket lulled her to a dreamless calm slumber.

* * *

Up on the cliff, with a clear view of Ordon Village, a single black shape peered down at the small village in distaste.

"The 'Hero of Twilight' lives here? What a disappointment, I was almost expecting something more grand," He drawled irritatedly, leaping from the cliff to land on the ground beneath. He calmly walked down the beaten dirt path, following it right to the center of the small town. He stood at the base of a small bridge that spanned over a small creek, knowing full well that the foolish inhabitants of the small village were fast asleep in their houses and wouldn't notice him. He took one long look around, smirking at the villagers for not setting up any means of protection other then a couple of gates. Gates could stop some potential attacks, attacks from enemies such as rabid animals and bandits and their like. However, having wooden gates as the only form of protection was asking for trouble to come storming in to take advantage of their ignorance.

"Such a puny pathetic village, I suppose it wouldn't be such a problem to erase it along with Link," He growled before melting away into the shadows, leaving no trace that he had ever been there.


	2. Into the Shadows

As the Ilia stepped out into the warm sunlight, her depressed mood she had gotten from the nightmare brightened upon seeing her childhood friend Link. He was walking down from the ranch with his mare Epona trotting gracefully at his side. She hurried toward him, noticing Colin walking beside Link sullenly.

"Can I come with you? Please!" Colin asked, lightly tugging on Link's arm. Link smiled, but shook his head. The boy's frown deepened and he glared at the ground as if it was the ground's fault that he couldn't go.

"Where are you going?" Ilia asked as she finally reached them.

"Link has to go out to Kakariko Village, the shaman sent for him and asked he come urgently," Colin said, bursting into giggles as Epona snuffled his short blonde hair.

"You won't be gone long, right Link?" Ilia asked nervously. Link nodded his head and grabbed firmly onto Epona's mane as the mare nibbled on his shoulder.

"Want to play with us in the forest, Link?" Talo asked as he, Malo, and Beth came running down the slight incline. They had been waiting for Link at his house and became bored when their screaming fell on a silent home.

"He can't, he has an important trip to Kakariko," Colin said. The other children glowered at him before staring up at Link, waiting for a response from him.

"Please, Link?" They asked. Link shook his head again. The children's faces fell at Link's response, revealing their annoyance and sadness.

"Hurry back then, please! Maybe you can show us how to use a bow?" Beth said, the gloom she had on her face evaporated into a smile. Link smiled again and ruffled the girl's hair.

* * *

It had been several hours since Link galloped off on Epona. Ilia, who had nothing better to do, spent the time playing hide and seek with the children in Faron Woods. Once the sun was high in the sky and it began to be really hot, the children then decided to sit in the cool spring near Link's house and talk about family and anything that happened to be on their mind.

"Look!" Talo suddenly yelped, pointing at the entrance. Ilia turned just in time to see a small blue creature with a straw-hat rush off.

"It looks like its heading to Link's house!" Bet shouted, all the children leapt to their feet and raced out. Ilia shook her head before pushing herself up and followed them. She found them looking around the clearing, trying to find the strange creature that had been seen at the spring.

"Ilia, did you see it go that way?" Malo asked as he looked under a rock.

"No, I doubt it was a monster, if that is why you are looking for it. Its probably a monkey that stole the hat from somewhere." Ilia said, the children made faces at her and continued to search. Then, she heard something like a crash.

"What was that?" She asked, looking around in confusion. The children stopped looking, staring at her until a similar sound rang in the clearing. Figuring it was from Link's house, Ilia quickly went to the ladder and climbed up.

"Ilia, what are you doing?" Colin called nervously from below.

"That's Link's house! We shouldn't go in!" Beth yelled.

"Something is in the house. Do you think Link would like to discover all his stuff gone?" Ilia shouted as she crawled onto the wooden floor and opened the door. It creaked open to a very dark room. She carefully stepped in, as her eyes adjusted she noticed things as small as rupees to as large as a table smashed and thrown around the room in disarray.

"What happened in here?" Ilia muttered to herself as she carefully stepped over a broken chair and ventured farther into the room.

"Ilia, is something in there?" She heard Talo call, then a sudden slam. With a frightened jump, she spun around. The door had slammed shut, leaving her in the darkness.

"Guys, don't do that!" She said, waiting to hear the giggles of the children at the success of their prank. She didn't hear anything. The feeling of nervousness she had quickly changed into a low thrum of fear and the dream came to mind again. She pushed down the fear as much as she could before the swell erupted into blind terror.

"This isn't funny," Ilia called out, heading to the door quickly. Something caught on her foot and with a startled yelp she fell onto the floor.

"Ilia, I am coming up!" Colin called when he heard her. She slowly pushed herself up, noticing blood now smeared on the wooden floor. She had landed on shattered glass when she used her forearms to break the fall. Now, she could feel the heat from the wounds.

"No, I just fell," Ilia called, pushing herself up to her knees. Then, a hand seized a chunk of her hair and pulled up. She screamed as she was yanked to her feet. Something cold was pressed against her chin, the tip digging into her skin.

"Ilia! Don't move we are coming up!" She heard Talo yell. She swallowed a terrified scream as blood from the dagger began dripping down her throat and onto her shirt.


	3. Bloody Introductions

Panic and terror settled in Ilia's stomach as she tried to think. Her captor hissed angrily as tiny footsteps came from beyond the shut door, the knuckles clenching her short hair tightening and the dagger was pressed tighter into her neck. She tried to ignore the blood and the dagger, wondering how to stop the children from their ascent. The sounds of their ascent stopped, snapping her out of her thoughts as she came up with the only solution she could think of in such a short time. She had to shout a warning before her throat was slit.

To her surprise, the grip on her hair suddenly loosened and the dagger was pulled away from her throat. For a moment, she thought he was going to flee, assuming the children were a threat of some sort. This thought was banished as the cold metal dagger was driven into her back, landed between the shoulder blades. She shrieked, the scream tearing from her vocal cords as the dagger was ripped out and she was roughly shoved forward. She stumbled and fell, landing on her side.

"Ilia!" She heard someone shout as bright light illuminated the room. The door had been opened and Colin was standing on the porch, Beth peeking over his shoulder in fright and Talo peering over the deck's edge with wide frightened eyes. Ilia ignored him and looked towards the intruder. Her heart seemed to stop as the light fell on the intruder.

"Link, what happened? I thought you went to…" Colin said as he walked into the house. The intruder stared quietly as Colin approached, dark red eyes glittering with anger and faint dark amusement. Ilia tried to speak but found that she could only cough up something hot and sticky. Colin was distracted and looked at Ilia, eyes widening as he noticed the blood from her back and mouth.

"Colin!" Beth shouted as the man lunged out at Colin. He grabbed the boy around the neck and pulled him off the floor, bringing Colin to his own eye-level.

"Where is he?" He snarled, ignoring the Colin as he tried to pry away the hands that were around his throat. Colin tried to respond, his breaths wheezing as he tried to speak.

"Let him go!" Beth screamed as she ran inside, tiny hands clenched into fists. The intruder hissed in annoyance and threw the boy at her. Beth shrieked as Colin smashed into her, knocking the two children to the floor. The man put away the bloodstained dagger that he had been holding and replaced it with a sword.

"I have little patience for your pathetic drivel," He hissed as he walked forward. He passed by Ilia as he walked towards the children, ignoring her entirely.

"Who are you?" Colin asked as he stood up, pulling Beth to her feet and protectively standing in front of her. The man stopped within reaching distance of the children, as if he was surprised at the question. His lips twisted in a sardonic smirk.

"My name should not concern someone who is about to die," The man replied. Ilia snapped her head up at the comment and tried to get to her feet. She could barely lift herself off the ground before her weakened muscles collapsed under her weight. The children were frozen in fear, unable to move as the man prepared to kill them.

Then, a loud horn blasted from the upper area of the house, distracting the man. He looked up towards the noise, his sword raised to attack. To Ilia's surprise, the creature that they had followed leapt down from an upper balcony and landed on an overturned chest. Around the strange creature, wooden puppets fell down beside him, glaring upwards with crudely painted wooden faces.

"Shadow beast, I thought I noticed your stench in our forest," It giggled with a child-like voice.

"I thought your kind was put out of their misery years ago when the forest was taken from the child-folk," The man replied in annoyance. The creature hissed angrily, the puppets beside it shuddering and turning their blank painted faces towards the man.

"The Lost Woods have not lost its power over the lost souls, it has just been temporarily tamed. Shadow Beast, you do not belong here," It hissed.

"I will leave once I kill these creatures and search for…"

"The Chosen One, yes? Ever since that dark Thief Lord from the desert dragged you out of that twisted realm you had come from, you've hunted for his blood. Filthy creature, the Lost Woods does not take kindly to those who wish harm on its temporary residents," The imp said.

"I have no patience for listening to you," The man growled, stalking towards the creature. The creature grinned.

"Your kind was never born with patience. Your kind is born hollow, sadistic, and lusting for blood. Do you ever think beyond killing the Chosen One, Shadow Link?" The creature spat, crossing its arms and glaring mischievously at him. The man yelled something at the little imp, harsh angry words from a language that Ilia had never heard of before, and leapt at the creature, slashing out with his sword. One of the puppets took the blow, the wood splintering under the sword's blow as it was slashed in half.

"You don't like the sound of your own name, Shadow Link? What is wrong, does the name remind you of the one you hate most?" The creature taunted. Shadow Link growled and continued to attack, slicing apart puppets as they protected the creature. The creature was unconcerned about the puppets as he pressed a small dainty horn to his lips and played a low buzzing note. Several more puppets fell around the imp, launching themselves at Shadow Link with exposed sharp claws.

"Ilia!" She had been so drawn towards the two creatures' fight that she was startled when Colin touched her shoulder. She looked towards him and regretted it, her vision suddenly blurring from the sudden movement.

"You're bleeding, Ilia!" Beth stammered, glancing between Ilia and the fighting duo nervously. She scowled in annoyance, Beth could have said something less obvious.

"We've got to get out of here," Colin said as he took Ilia's arm and draped it over his thin shoulder. Ilia bit her cheek to keep herself from screaming as Colin tried to pull her up.

"Beth, help me!" Colin growled. Beth looked away and ran to Ilia's other side. With the combined efforts of the two children, they managed to pull her off of the floor.

"…Get…out…" Ilia mumbled.

"Sh, we are…" Beth whispered before she looked towards the fighting duo and froze.


End file.
